Estrada tells Manila cops:  Search and destroy drug tiangges

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada (AP FILE PHOTO)

MANILA — Search and destroy.

This was the directive of Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada to the 4,000-strong Manila Police District, as he ordered them to scour the city for other drug “tiangges” (illegal drug stalls) that might still be operating.

The mayor made the pronouncement a day after a “drug den” was found under the Muelle de Binondo right underneath the police precinct 7 during clearing operations.

The accidental discovery of drug paraphernalia in the shanty of Robert Regio by members of the Department of Public Safety led to the immediate sacking of the precinct commander, Chief Insp. Luis Guisic.

Regio was arrested, and charges were filed against him.

“We will thoroughly scour the entire city, every corner, every alley, every bridge, all possible hiding places,” said Estrada, who admitted he was still furious at what happened at Binondo.

He said if it was possible, they would “turn the city upside down to locate and neutralize these secret drug dens, if there are still any.”

In line with this, the mayor ordered  MPD director Joel Coronel to employ “all the city police force’s resources” to capture the operators of the drug dens.

He also directed the 896 barangay (village) chairs to take part in the campaign by acting as the “eyes and ears” of the police during the operations.

“We are now increasing the level of our intelligence operations,” Coronel said in response.

He said they would exert “all effort to uncover these shabu stalls and tiangges,” warning police station commanders they could be sacked if they were not “on their feet all the time.”  SFM/rga

A view of Binondo, Manila, where a drug tiangge was found. (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/SHERWIN MARION T. VARDELEON)